Emergency responder excels at roadside safety

Emergency Responder Carlos Campos has made a name for himself as an employee who prioritizes the safety of co-workers and the driving public.

“He continues to rise to the top on every occasion,” KC Scout Incident Management Coordinator Marcus Slaughter said.

 

Most recently, Campos patched the tire for 70-year-old Smithville resident Nick Eisman.

 

“I can’t say enough good about the help I got that night,” Eisman said.

 

Eisman was driving southbound on Interstate 435 toward Interstate 70 west when he realized he had a flat tire. His daughter was in the car with him. The two were headed to her softball game.

 

“My daughter was playing Midnight Madness and her first game was at 9 p.m.,” Eisman said. “I have roadside assistance on my van and I called them at 8:30 and I got no response.”

 

Eisman then called his daughter’s coach who was able to pick her up so she wouldn’t miss her game.

 

Eisman called his insurance company again at 9:15 p.m. and that's around the time that he saw Campos pull up next to him.

 

“He was able to plug the tire and get me back on the highway and I can’t thank him enough for stopping,” Eisman said. “I wanted his supervisor to know how much I appreciated him stopping to help me.”

 

Slaughter said this isn’t the first time that Campos has been recognized for a job well done.

 

In November, Campos saw that a truck on the side of the road had been put in neutral and was going to hit two police officers. Campos made the quick move to drive his MoDOT vehicle up to the bumper of the truck, stopping it from hitting the officers.

 

“They could have suffered injury if he had not stepped in,” Slaughter said.

 

For Campos, these incidents are part of a day’s work.

 

“We do make a difference,” he said.

 

And when it comes to safety, Campos doesn’t bend the rules and serves as a great example for his colleagues.

 

District Engineer Chris Redline recalls a time when he arrived at a night project without safety glasses.

 

“Here comes Carolos with a brand-new pair of safety glasses,” Redline said. “That was perfect. That’s what it’s all about, looking out for each other.”

 

Campos said that he enjoys his job at MoDOT and likes being able to help others.

 

“I have traveled, and I know a situation can be stressful for someone who is traveling from out of town and doesn’t know who to contact,” he said. “I try to make people comfortable.”

Written by Arley Hoskin